Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Okay, let me first say this—not all bird breeders are
evil!!! Second, not all rescues are wonderful, and third—weigh the facts and
needs out and make a rational, informed decision.

Folks, I am seeing more and more radicals in the animal rescue/sanctuary
gig and it is becoming alarming. I used to believe in many of these people, but
as time progresses, I am beginning to think their cause has eroded their gray
matter and they have become zealots—overlooking common courtesy and sense just
to prove a point. We all know who they are— they’re the ones that are well on
their way to joining the happy patients at Shady Acres enjoying the comfort of
padded walls, meals with spoons
instead of forks, and receiving 10,000 volts to the temple.

Lets be fair and realistic, bird breeders and
sanctuaries/rescues have to learn to coexist, you can think what you want, but
enough of this demoralizing public behavior, it’s time for all to grow up! I
know of several breeders that I believe in, and I know of a handful of
rescues/sanctuaries that I believe in, and the reason I say a handful is
because of the behavior they have exhibited in recent months. Do you really
want to alienate people so they don’t choose adoption? Many rescues/sanctuaries
have utilized social media, i.e., Facebook, for their cause and instead of
being fair, they have twisted things and become hateful, posting some of the
most offensive images I have ever seen. Where does the line get drawn? If I was
a parent and my child saw some of the images these people put up, there would
be a major can of whoop-ass coming to their door, and these “people” think it’s
funny or necessary to shock and repulse people…Where does the line blur? One
individual told me it was their job to inform the world of injustices…hmmmmm…where
do I get an application for that job? Can I see the resumé that one needs for
that position? Here I thought everyone could be an asshole at times but
preferred not to be…What was I thinking?!

Prior to the economic downturn, rescues/sanctuaries were far
and few between, and the ones that did flourish and prosper were the ones that
deserved to, Best Friends, Gabriel, Phoenix, Bird Lovers Only, etc., they’ve
worked hard, earned a reputation, and maintained a level of dignity that I
respect. These are the folks that still deserve our recognition and money,
along with a few of the smaller up-and-coming groups that have maintained
civility and common sense. Support a person based upon ethics and how they
represent themselves, don’t let words clutter your judgment, let actions be
your stimulus.

There is a cliché, The Road to Hell is Paved with Good
Intentions, and this is what I believe with many of the rescues/sanctuaries
that are popping up. They start with great intentions but eventually will
crumble due to their own arrogance, ignorance, and anger. We cannot save every
bird, I am sorry, but this is my opinion, some of them have become so destroyed
that we have let them go—humanely. What God created with love, Mankind has
blemished, and we need to recognize our mistakes and move forward with hopes of
a better tomorrow. Let today serve as an example of what tomorrow should be and
we need to work together.

I honestly do believe we need to “Opt to Adopt”, but many
people are not ready to do that, and they need to take the steps they feel
comfortable with. Who is anyone to tell another how they should spend their
money? I encourage adoption as much as possible, I tell people that “what used
to be” and “what is now” are very different and that many excellent birds are
in need of homes and should not be overlooked based upon old perceptions or
beliefs. We need to encourage adoption through kindness, not bullying, the
world has enough violence, we need to ease people into the adoption process and
welcome them as they do and we need to have breeders who educate the consumer.

Many breeders have gotten out of breeding, and I give them
credit—they have recognized the current state of aviculture and have taken
steps to fix the situation—kudos to them! Many breeders are still dedicated to
producing excellent babies, and we need to support them, we need to be fair and
honest and recognize that eventually and even now, there is a need for these
folks, we cannot and should not damn every breeder! We need to weed out the bad
ones, and support the good ones, just like we need to do with the sanctuaries
and rescues, we need to come together in a realistic manner and not scatter
because of our politic.

I know many breeders I am proud to know them and they are my friends. I know of
many rescues that I am proud of and happy to call my friends, I believe in
balance—think about it.

Welcome to the Confessions of a Crazy Parrot Person!

Welcome to the Confessions of a Crazy Parrot Person! I have been around birds most of my life and I have to admit, parrot people can be lunatics—but in a good way, they're passionate and compassionate, they relate to each other and understand their peers. I have been in other animal "circles" but I have never enjoyed them as much as the parrot crazies, our companion animals have taught us well.

We share our lives with these remarkable souls that engage us, inspire us, alter our moods, and inevitably—make us who we really are. Life with a companion parrot is rich, nurturing, loud, but most of all—fulfilling.

My Smurf

My avian best friend...I love her beyond words.

My Fiery Redhead

The other macaw that I adore... Miss Blaze.

Quote for The Crazies...

She was not quite what you would call refined.She was not quite what you would call unrefined.She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot.—Mark Twain